Jeremy Sneller from Salto VisionWorks

In this episode of the Cornwall Innovation Centre podcast, Rebecca Loto speaks with Jeremy Sneller, founder of Salto Visionworks, a company that pioneered facial recognition access control technology. Jeremy explains the core concept behind Salto Visionworks in a simple tagline: "Access a space with your face." The technology replaces traditional keycards, codes and physical keys with facial recognition, allowing users to simply walk up to a door which then opens automatically. This provides both convenience for carrying bags or when phones are not readily accessible, and enhanced security for various environments. They covers the wide range of applications for this technology, from care facilities where residents may be experiencing memory or physical loss, to gyms where facial recognition can manage memberships and locker allocation, to hotels where guests can bypass reception and go directly to their rooms. Jeremy shares the company's journey from its founding ten years ago on the second floor of Cornwall Innovation Centre with just two people, initially focusing only on the UK market. The business grew to the point where Jeremy had to decide between seeking investment or finding a strategic partner. This led to Salto acquiring Visionworks, and the technology is now being rolled out to potentially 40 countries worldwide. Jeremy also highlights how the company has created local employment, keeping talented young people in Cornwall who would otherwise have left the county. The team has grown to 15 people occupying three offices within the Tremough Innovation Centre, demonstrating how the flexible workspace has allowed the business to scale without needing to relocate.